April 24, 1872 Eruption of Vesuvius
Vesuvius in Italy erupted on April 24, 1872 with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. The eruption killed 9 people.
Where it erupted
Vesuvius, Italy, with its other significant eruptions.
The eruption
The toll
- Deaths
- 9
- Injuries
- 11
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Young people in Valle del Inferno failed to notice retreat cut off by lava which trapped them between precipice of Monte Somma and active flow. Nazaro reported 9 killed and 11 injured, plus some fatalities from CO2. (reference #9675)
Other significant eruptions of Vesuvius
More
Every eruption in 1872The 1800sVesuviusEarthquakes near VesuviusThis day in weather history
Sources
Volcanoes and significant eruptions from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. Volcano numbers are the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program’s. NCEI event 29.